Scanner School - Everything you wanted to know about the Scanner Radio Hobby

Check out our new course, "The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Software Defined Radios: Everything you need to know to get started with SDR in an afternoon."   You can enroll for free at https://courses.scannerschool.com   Have you wondered how you can best use the search function on your scanner? In this episode, Phil walks through some tips for how to use your scanner to search for new frequencies,...

Uniden Close Call vs Whistler Spectrum Sweeper Which is better: Uniden Close Call or Whistler Spectrum Sweeper? In this episode, Phil puts them to the test in a head-to-head comparison on speed, distance, and technology. Listen in to find out who wins! What You Need To Know Close Call and Spectrum Sweeper are used to seek out nearby frequencies that are stronger than a set value over the scanner's...

Whistler Signal Stalker & Spectrum Sweeper Do you want to know how to use Whistler's signal stalker or spectrum sweeper functions? In this episode, Phil explains how to access and use these features, the options you have, use cases, and more. What You Need To Know The signal stalker and spectrum sweeper features are found on many RadioShack Pro series scanners, as well as GRE Whistler object-orien...

Do you have questions about how to use Uniden's close call function? In this episode, Phil explains the purpose of close call, shares examples of times he has used it successfully, and what the different close call settings on your scanner mean in practice.   What You Need To Know Close call is an option on just about every available Uniden radio. It's a way to find frequencies that are close to y...

Many of you have have been submitting their questions and today I am answering some of them. This month I answer: On the SDS100, what are the most useful items to have shown on the display screen to get the most information out of the scanner as possible? What should someone do if their SDS200 isn't locking on to the control channel right away? Should the Service Types name be changed on an SDS100...

Splitting and Sharing Antennas Do you need to split or share the signal from a single antenna to multiple scanners? In this episode, Phil explains the hardware you need to achieve this setup, how the technology works, and what to look for when purchasing the accessories you need. He also walks through his personal setup. What You Need To Know You can use diplexers, duplexers, Triplexers ,and the l...

2020 Holiday Buyer's Guide Are you wondering what should be on your holiday shopping list this year? In this episode, Phil shares his 2020 holiday buyer's guide, helping you compare radios, scanner software, and accessories. What You Need To Know This year's buyer guide is the same as the 2019 buyer guide because no new equipment has been released. East Coast Pagers will have great Black Friday de...

Have you wanted to learn about how to combine multiple antennas? In this episode, Phil discusses some best practices for using multiple antennas, including how to set them up to avoid interference, how to bring the signal into your house to connect to your radios, and more. What You Need To Know LMR 400 Coax costs around $1 per foot, so running multiple coax lines for many antennas can get very ex...

Ask Scanner School v26 This month I answer: What are some troubleshooting tips to improve audio quality and overall reception on a Uniden scanner? Can Unication G-series pagers support Motorola type 2 systems? What can someone do or what antenna can they buy if the scanner app on their cell phone is picking up more than their actual scanner radio? Is it worth putting a scanner in your car if most...

Have you wondered about the impact a potential T-band giveback would have? In this episode, Phil walks you through the FCC's plan, the opposition it faces, and what it would mean for public safety and scanner radio hobbyists alike. What You Need To Know The FCC T-band giveback is reallocating the 470-512 MHz spectrum. The T-band spectrum was part of the TV band that ran from Channel 14-20. This sp...

Do you want to discover the radio IDs broadcasting in your area? In this episode, Phil welcomes back guest Kenneth Fowler . They discuss how Kenneth logs and verifies the radio IDs he finds, issues you may run into, and developments in the hobby coming soon. What You Need To Know Everything that transmits on a trunk system documents itself with a radio ID. Kenneth started in the scanner radio hobb...

Do you want to learn more about getting your Ham radio license? In this episode, Phil welcomes back guest Chuck Gysi from Ham Radio Prep. They discuss the Ham radio licensing exams, the new extra course launching soon, and more. Sign up for Ham Radio Prep using our affiliate link: www.scannerschool.com/hamradioprep   What You Need To Know Chuck runs National Communications Magazine, and it has exi...

Many of you have have been submitting their questions and today I am answering some of them. This month I answer: How can he improve my current antenna setup?  What scanner should I buy if I wanted to listen to my local area and also stream it to my phone? Is there a scanner that can do P25 phase 1 and 2, and NXDN at the same time? Would Phil recommend spending additional money to get a desktop Wh...

The Uniden MR8100 In this episode, Phil talks about the Uniden MR8100 and its unique features, from its design to rumors about its functionality.   What You Need To Know This radio was marketed as a scanner developed for public safety. Rumors say it was created for the LAPD. This radio was analog-only, with 100 memory channels in 10 banks, with no trunking and no P-25. The radio was designed to be...

Are you interested in listening to the International Space Station? In this episode, Phil shares what you need to know to tune into the ISS and other satellites passing overhead. Learn what equipment and software can help you, where to find the frequencies you'll need, and how to know when the ISS will be passing over your location. What You Need To Know The ISS just launched a new amateur radio c...

Are you interested in scanning Federal agency frequencies? In this episode, Phil welcomes Chris Parris, an expert on Federal scanning and writer of the blog The Fed Files . They discuss how Chris found his way into Federal scanning, tips and tricks for people interested in trying it, and so much more!   What You Need To Know Guest Chris Parris is known in the community for his work scanning Federa...

Do you want to know how to improve your scanner's audio? In this episode, Phil welcomes back Harrison Wilson to discuss sound quality with scanner radio setups. They discuss external speakers, how sound vibrations work, audio mixers, and more.   What You Need To Know Guest Harrison Wilson returns for his third guest appearance to talk about improving your scanner's audio quality. A lot of scanner...

Many of you have have been submitting their questions and today I am answering some of them.   This month I answer: What does the setting for "Set Hold Time" on a P25 scanner mean? What do you do if every few days, you suddenly can't pick up signal on your scanner? What is the super dumbed-down version of how to program an SDS-100 scanner? What products would I recommend for an antenna upgrade to...

In this episode, Phil explains the virtual scanner feature that exists in many Whistler and Radio Shack scanner models. He talks about what they're best used for, how to set them up and make changes, and more.   What You Need To Know: This virtual scanner option is available on most, but not all, Whistler, GRE, and Radio Shack scanners that support object-oriented scanning. V-scanner stands for "v...

What's it like to scan during moments of major unrest? In this episode, Phil is joined by listener Brad, from Minnesota, to talk about scanning during the George Floyd protests. They discuss what Brad found to listen to during the first week of protests in Minneapolis, what surprised him, and how things are now.   What You Need To Know Brad did what Phil suggests and thinks outside the box, progra...

Are you craving more scanner radio content? In this episode, Phil is joined by Jonathan Higgins and Rich Carlson, hosts of The Scanner Guys, a weekly YouTube show. They discuss some of the common questions and topics that come up, how they've grown their audience, and more.   What You Need To Know The Scanner Guys met at Scanner Master and started doing Facebook Live in 2018, and it grew into thei...

Many of you have have been submitting their questions and today I am answering some of them. This month I answer: When will my SDR series come out? What would I recommend for an SDR dongle to use Unitrunker on a laptop? What outdoor antenna should I use?  How do you monitor a P-25 conventional system? Why can't fire departments use mobile bands?   All session notes with links to the items we talke...

Do you want to better understand object-oriented programming? In this episode, Phil explains how object-oriented programming differs from just using a scanner with hard coded memory and also Uniden's DMA memory.    What You Need To Know Object-oriented scanning allows you to create scan lists as small or as large as you need without wasting memory on your scanner. Memory space on a scanner is base...

Do you believe analyzing trunk systems requires a fancy hardware setup? Jackson from Kentucky joins us on the podcast this week to talk about how he is mapping out trunk systems with a scanner,  a pager, pen and paper, and a spreadsheet. You don't need to configure complicated computer programs to understand what is happening on your local trunk systems. All session notes with links to the items w...

Do you want tips for how to use your scanner to its fullest potential during times of social unrest?   In this episode, Phil shares ways to get started at scanning right now if you're new to the hobby in response to current events, gives suggestions of what to listen for beyond fire and police transmissions, and more.   What You Need To Know Due to current events, scanner radio sales are up, wheth...